COVETED BIG GAME PERMITS AWARDED TO NONPROFITS

PRATT – Seven lucky nonprofit organizations recently received what some consider to be the golden tickets of conservation fundraising: Commission Big Game Permits. These permits were awarded during the January 10 Kansas Wildlife, Parks and Tourism commission public meeting in El Dorado. The permits available for the 2013 drawing consisted of one elk, one antelope, and five deer permits.

Since it’s inception in 2006, the Commission Big Game Permit program has attracted nearly 700 applicants, with a total of 86 applications received for 2013. In order to be considered for the drawing, applicants had to be a Kansas-based nonprofit organization that works to promote wildlife conservation, as well as hunting and fishing. This year’s winners are:

The winning applicants received the permit in the form of a voucher. Typically these vouchers are sold to the highest bidder, who can then exchange the voucher for their designated big game permit through the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism (KDWPT) licensing section. Once a voucher is sold, the price of the permit and 85 percent of the total is returned to KDWPT. The conservation group keeps 15 percent to spend at its discretion. After a conservation project is approved, the 85 percent is returned to the group to fund the project.

To date, this program has raised nearly $265,700 for conservation efforts. Past projects include Pass It On activities, Hunter Education courses, habitat development and restoration, as well as archery and shooting clinics for youth and adults.

For more information on the Commission Big Game Permit program, or instructions on how to apply, contact commission secretary Sheila Kemmis, (620) 672-0702.